San Francisco has its cable cars. Seattle has its Space Needle. And, Longview has its squirrel bridge. The bridge, which has attracted international attention, is now a local landmark.
The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built in 1963 by a local builder, Amos Peters, to give squirrels a way to cross the busy road without getting flattened by passing cars.
The original bridge was built over Olympia Way on the west edge of' the library grounds.Before the bridge was built, squirrels had to avoid traffic to and from the Park Plaza office building where office staff' put out a nutty feast for the squirrels. Many times, Peters and others who worked in and near Park Plaza witnessed squirrels being run over.
One day Peters found a dead squirrels with a nut still in its mouth, and that day’s coffee break discussion turned into squirrel safety. The group of businessmen cooked up the squirrel bridge idea and formed a committee to ask the blessing of' the City Council(市政会).The Council approved, and Councilwoman Bess LaRiviere named the bridge “Nutty Narrows.”
After architects designed the bridge, Amos Peters and Bill Hutch started construction. They built the 60-foot bridge from aluminum (铝) and lengths of fire hose (消防水带). It cost $1,000.It didn't take long before reports of' squirrels using the bridge started. Squirrels were even seen guiding their young and teaching them the ropes. The story was picked up by the media, and Nutty Narrows became known in newspapers all over the world.
In 1983, after 20 years of' use, Peters took down the worn-out bridge.Repairs were made and crosspieces were replaced. The faded sign was repainted and in July 1983, hundreds of' animal lovers attended the completion ceremony of 'the new bridge.
Peters died in 1984, and a ten-foot wooden squirrel sculpture was placed near the bridge in memory of its builder and his devotion to the project.The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built in order to .
A.offer squirrels a place to eat nuts |
B.set up a local landmark |
C.help improve traffic |
D.protect squirrels |
What happened over the coffee break discussion?
A.The committee got the Council's blessing. |
B.The squirrel bridge idea was born. |
C.A councilwoman named the bridge |
D.A squirrel was found dead. |
What does the underlined phrase“teaching them the ropes”probably means in the text?
A.Passing them a rope |
B.Directing them to store food for winter |
C.Teaching them a lesson |
D.Showing them how to use the bridge. |
Which of the following is true of 'the squirrel bridge?
A.It was replaced by a longer one. |
B.It was built from wood and metal |
C.it was rebuilt after years of use |
D.It was designed by Bill Hutch. |
What can we learn about Amos Peters?
A.He is remembered for his love of' animals. |
B.He donated $l,000 to build the bridge |
C.He was a member of' the City Council |
D.He was awarded a medal for building the bridge. |
In America, drivers’ education is part of the regular high school curriculum. Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a class in driver’s education. However, unlike other courses, it is not given during the regular school year. Instead it is a summer course.
The course is divided up into two parts: class time for learning laws and regulations and driving time to practise driving. Class time is not unlike any other class. The students have a text from which they study the basic laws they must know to pass the written driving test that is given to anyone wanting to get a driver’s license.
Driving time is a chance for the students to get behind the wheel (steering wheel) and practice starting steering, backing up, parking, switching lanes, turning corners, and all the other maneuvers (操作) required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive a total of six hours. The students are divided up into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hour blocks of time. Thus, each student gets half an hour driving time per outing. The instructor and “driver” sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back.
Drivers Ed cars are unlike other cars in which they have two sets of brakes, one on the driver’s side and one on the other side where the instructor sits. Thus, if the student driver should run into difficulties the instructor can take over. The car also has another special feature. On the top of the car is a sign that reads: STUDENT DRIVER. That lets nearby drivers know that they should use extra caution(小心) the student driver is a beginning driver, not very experienced and prone to driving slowly.
After the student has passed the driver’s education course and reached the appropriate age to drive (this age differs in every state but in most cases the person must be 16 years old), they can go to a designated state office to take their driver’s test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The person must pass all three tests in order to be given a driver’s license. If the person did well in his or her driver’s education class, he or she will pass the test with flying colors and get a driver’s license.
1. In America, the driver’s course mentioned above___________.
A. is considered as part of the advanced education
B. is given to anyone wanting to get a driver’s license
C. is carried on at the same time as other courses
D. is offered to all the students of Grade 2 in high schools
2. To prevent accidents, a drivers Ed car______________.
A. has a sign inside it B. has two sets of brakes
C. is big enough to hold five persons D. can’t run very fast
3. We can infer that the students are required to ______ in their whole driving practice.
A. go out driving for twelve times B. spend at least six hours driving
C. drive for two hour blocks of time D. get half an hour driving
4. Which of the following does not agree with the requirements for the students wanting to get their driver’s license?
A. They must be 16 years of age
B. They should go to have their driver’s test
C. They must have their eyes examined
D. They ought to do well in their driver’s course
5 In the last sentence, “with flying colors” means______________.
A. happilyB. successfully
C. colorfully D. quickly
III 阅读(共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅读理解(共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)阅读下面短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡卷上将该项涂黑。
Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I take great pleasure in formally welcoming you and Madam Liu to Buckingham Palace on the occasion of your State Visit to the United Kingdom. You are certainly no stranger to the United Kingdom. This will be your second visit this year, and I also met Your Excellency when you visited as Vice-President in 2001.
It is now almost twenty years since I visited China. Since then China’s development has caught the world’s attention and admiration. It matters to all of us what kind of country China’s people will build, what role they will play in the world of the twenty-first century, and how this will be sensed by others.
China’s growth brings with it difficult challenges for you and your government, but also great opportunities. During her visit in September, the Princess Royal saw both the flagship cities of Beijing and Shanghai and the efforts of government and non-governmental organizations to reduce poverty in rural areas of Anhui and Gansu. I am delighted that China was able to join discussions earlier this year on poverty relief in Africa, sharing with the global community your own remarkable experience in this area.
In those twenty years, the world has changed too. When I visited China in 1986, we had no inkling that the Cold War was so close to its end and we knew little then of the significance of global warming. Now we are able to work together and in the international community to solve problems of environmental protection and sustainable (可持续的) development ...
May I now ask all our guests to raise their glasses and drink a toast:
To His Excellency the President of the People’s Republic of China and Madam Liu and the Chinese people.
1. The speech was most probably given in _________.
A. 1986 B. 1995 C. 2001 D. 2005
2. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. The hostess cares much about China’s development.
B. China is faced with both difficult challenges and opportunities.
C. China attended the discussion earlier that year whose topic was how to relieve poverty in rural areas of Anhui and Gansu.
D. China used his own successful experiences to help African people to reduce poverty.
3. The underlined word “inkling” means ____________.
A. slight knowledge B. suggestion C. impression D. doubt
4. The paragraphs which are left out probably talk about ___________.
A. the history of the two countries
B. things they disagree with each other
C. what the partnership between the countries is like today
D. development of the two countries
5. Which of the following best summarizes the tone of the speech?
A. Formal. B. Excited. C. Casual. D. Personal.
For several days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the morning he seemed very busy with business,and in the afternoon gentlemen from the neighborhood called and sometimes stayed to dine with him. When his foot was well enough,he rode out a great deal.
During this time,all my knowledge of him was limited to occasional meetings about the house,when he would sometimes pass me coldly, and sometimes bow and smile. His changes of manner did not offend me, because I saw that I had nothing to do with the cause of them.
One evening,several days later,I was invited to talk to Mr. Rochester after dinner. He was sitting in his armchair,and looked not quite so severe,and much less gloomy. There was a smile on his lips, and his eyes were bright,probably with wine. As I was looking at him,he suddenly turned, and asked me,“Do you think I am handsome,Miss Eyre? ”
The answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I realized it: “No,sir.” “Ah,you really are unusual! You are a quiet, serious little person, but you can be almost rude.” “Sir,I'm sorry. I should have said that beauty doesn't matter,or something like that,” “No,you shouldn't! I see,you criticize my appearance,and then you stab (刺) me in the back! You have honesty and feeling. There are not many girls like you. But perhaps I go too fast. Perhaps you have awful faults to counterbalance (抵消) your few good points.”
I thought to myself that he might have too. He seemed to read my mind,and said quickly,“Yes,you're right. I have plenty of faults. I went the wrong way when I was twenty-one,and have never found the right path again. I might have been very different. I might have been as good as you, and perhaps wiser. I am not a bad man,take my word for it,but I have done wrong. It wasn't my character,but circumstances which were to blame. Why do I tell you all this? Because you're the sort of person people tell their problems and secrets to, because you're sympathetic and give them hope.”
It seemed he had quite a lot to talk to me. He didn't seem to like to finish the talk quickly,as was the case for the first time.
“Don't be afraid of me, Miss. Eyre,”he continued. “You don't relax or laugh very much,perhaps because of the effect Lowood school has had on you. But in time you will be more natural with me,and laugh, and speak freely. You're like a bird in a cage. When you get out of the cage, you'll fly very high. Good night.”
1. At the beginning Miss Eyre's impressions of Mr. Rochester were all except_____.
A. busy B. sociable C. dull D. changeable
2. The underlined sentence means_________ .
A. Only by meeting him around the house sometimes did I know a little about him.
B. Only by coming to the house could I know about him.
C. I occasionally met him but my knowledge about him was poor.
D. What I knew about him was limited in the house.
3. From what Mr. Rochester told Miss Eyre, we can conclude that he wanted to __________
A. tell her all his troubles B. tell her his life experience
C. blame her for misunderstanding him D. change his circumstances
4. At the end of the passage,Mr. Rochester sounded ___________ .
A. rude B. cold C. polite D. encouraging
5. According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A. Miss Eyre was at Lowood School before she came to Mr. Rochester’s house.
B. Miss Eyre didn’t see Mr. Rochester often.
C. Miss Eyre was honest, brave and confident.
D. Miss Eyre was brave, polite and warm-hearted.
Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero?
Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.
A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.
Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage(电压) transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.
The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?
Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated(隔离的) buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.
1. Although heroes may come from different cultures, they _______.
A. generally possess certain inspiring characteristics
B. probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
C. are often influenced by previous generations
D. all unknowingly attract a large number of fans
2. According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that ____.
A. they have a vision from the mountaintop
B. they have warm feelings and emotions
C. they can serve as concrete(具体的) examples of noble principles
D. they can make people feel stronger and more confident
3. Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because ________.
A. they are popular only among certain groups of people
B. their performances do not improve their fans morally
C. their primary concern is their own financial interests
D. they are not clear about the principles they should follow
4. Gandhi and Martin Luther King are typical examples of outstanding leaders who ___.
A. are good at demonstrating their charming characters
B. can move the masses with the skill and the charm
C. are capable of meeting all challenges and hardships
D. can provide an answer to the problems of their people
5. The author concludes that historical changes would ______.
A. be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities
B. not happen without heroes making the necessary sacrifices
C. take place if there were heroes to lead the people
D. produce leaders with attractive personalities
Ⅲ. 阅读理解(共两节,满分40分)
第一节:阅读理解(共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In order to know a foreign language thoroughly(完全地), four things are necessary. First, we must understand the language when we hear it spoken. Secondly, we must be able to speak it ourselves, correctly with confidence(自信) and without hesitation(犹豫). Thirdly, we must be able to write it. We must be able to make sentences that are correct in grammar.
There is no short way to succeed in language learning. A good memory(记忆) is a great help, but it is not enough only to memorize the rules from a grammar book. It is no much use learning by heart long lists(一览表) of words and their meanings, studying the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language. If we are pleased with a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning the language. We must “Learn through use”. Practice is important. We must practise speaking and writing the language whenever(无论何时) we can.
1.The most important things to learn a foreign language are __________.
A.understanding and speaking B.hearing, speaking, reading and writing
C.writing and understanding D.memorizing and listening
2.Someone hears and writes English very well, but he speaks it very badly. This is because __________.
A.he doesn’t understand the language when he hears it spoken
B.he doesn’t have a good memory
C.he always remember lists of words and their meanings
D.he often hesitates to practise speaking it
3.One can never learn a foreign language well only by __________.
A.much practice B.studying the dictionary
C.learning through use D.using the language
4.Which of the following is the most important in learning a foreign language?
A.A good memory. B.Speaking. C.Practice. D.Writing.
5.“Learn through use” means __________.
A.we use a language in order to learn it
B.we learn a foreign language in order to use it
C.we can learn a language well while we are using it
D.both B and C